Linux
Linux
Consider using a Linux distribution tailored for productivity. With your specs—3090, Threadripper, 128GB RAM, 4TB NVMe SSD from Samsung—opt for a lightweight distro like Ubuntu or Linux Mint. They offer strong performance without the complexity of Windows, making them ideal for efficiency.
I use Linux Mint. It works well for those transitioning from Windows and comes fully equipped with Libre Office. The specifics depend on your needs, though.
I wouldn't suggest version 21.10 since it isn't an LTS release, which means you'd need to upgrade sooner than preferred. Downloading the LTS version seems more suitable, particularly because it incorporates the 5.8 LTS kernel—a significantly safer choice compared to 5.13. I’d only consider 21.10 if your project depended on features exclusive to 5.13 but not 5.8, such as niche software. Still, I believe you can obtain 21.04 for other applications using the 5.13 kernel.
NVIDIA driver compatibility on Linux has often been poor, a fact worth noting. For instance, the exclusive NVIDIA driver doesn’t function with Wayland, which is increasingly the standard on many distributions. Swapping your 3090 for a 6900 could unlock better performance on Linux.
It really varies based on your job requirements. Office roles: Solurs, Ubuntu (Kubuntu or whatever you prefer), OpenSUES Dev tasks (IT sys admin / coding): Manjaro, Debian, Redhat (the paid version), OpenSUES, Ubuntu, Fedora These are some possibilities, it really depends on your needs. I’m still using Ubuntu LTS for my server and Debian for certain Samba projects. NOTE: I don’t talk about Pop!_OS because they’re very resistant to open-source teams and often blame others when things go wrong...
I prefer the newest release of Ubuntu for its simplicity and productivity. It supports most apps you need, works with a wide range of software, and lets everything run smoothly out of the box. As someone who uses Linux professionally, I value ease of use and reliable support. While some say Nvidia isn’t fully supported, modern distros usually keep up-to-date if you choose a recent version.